Vanellope's Return
by SquidbaggerOfWoomyAndNgyesness
Summary: WiR/X-overs Crossover. Set post-SRCA: Armageddon. Based loosely off of Mega Man Zero. A year after sacrificing herself to stop Avina and seal her away, Vanellope wakes up back in the arcade. During her absence, she finds out that a robotic version of herself made by Adorabeezle rules over Sugar Rush in a tyrannical fashion. Vanellope must now reunite the racers and stop her.
1. Return

**Chapter 1: Return**

 _"Location: Unknown, Unknown Time"_

Vanellope groaned in pain as she felt herself floating, being tugged and pulled in different directions. Opening her eyes, she looked around and saw lines of light wrapping around her, pulling her through what seemed to be some sort of river of light. In the distance, she saw other rivers of light, suspended in the void, as numerous as the stars in the sky.

She remembered her and the other heroes having foughtagainst Avina after invading Umbros by using all four freed Divine Beasts to create a giant Monolith Portal there. She remembered everyone fighting Avina in her throne room, with the battle being extremely gruesome and tiring, more so than even both battles with the Nightmare King. Iniabi had eventually managed to weaken Avina with Shadow Erebus just long enough for her to latch herself onto Avina's back and channel her power into her injuries, with the Shadow Stone, which Reader had given to her just before invading Umbros, in her possession, causing a massive explosion of energy as she was defeated and sealed away. However, that had cost Vanellope too much, as the seal only would activate if she used her body as a source, and she had apologized to everyone, especially Rancis, before fading away. Now, the girl found herself here, floating in the void between time and space. Focusing on the lines of light, she could feel the love, hopes, and dreams of her friends.

"This is... nice. I feel all warm inside." Vanellope whispered.

She twisted her body around to look at all the rivers of light. Focusing hard on them, she could make out some of the events occurring, as faded out images, and feeling the emotions of those in the scenes.

"Are these all the different worlds out there in the multiverse? I can see Reader's universe right over there. And there is Iniabi's original timeline." Vanellope asked.

As she looked at the different parts of the river of light, Vanellope noticed that the flashes she saw were of different points of time, some of which were familiar to her. In one, she recognized herself meeting Ralph for the first time, eventually before regaining her title as a racer and Princess of Sugar Rush, to which she changed to President. In another, she saw herself and the original Sugar Rush team members fighting against Licortwist on her castle's rooftop for the first time. In another image, she noticed Jubileena going through her trip into the bad future with Jubilee. And in another, she noticed the struggles against Avina. However, she also noticed other images that she wasn't familiar with. In one, she saw X, Zero, and Axl, who for some reason looked like he was made entirely out of energy, fighting against strong opposition. In another, she saw Seasar fighting what appeared to be a male and female Octoling at close range, before the three got broken apart and the Inkling seemed to get taken control of by some sort of goopy substance. In another, she saw who she recognized as the Guardians of Light confronting the Seekers of Darkness in the Keyblade Graveyard. And in another, she noticed the Louds in the future seemingly sad about something, with Lacy and Lynn III not being with them, but she couldn't tell why. She then noticed something else that was quite intriguing. In several, whenever the river of light faded, a cluster of lights erupted out of the fading end and impacted the river in a graceful arc earlier on, causing a split. The newly formed split would grow stronger and become the new main path of the river, while the original path withered and faded, becoming a dead end. Other times, the arc became too wide and it impacted other rivers, diverting the path there but still causing the same conclusion.

 _"Is this how time travel looks like from the outside? Splitting timelines until the ideal one is the dominant one? Maybe if I hitch a ride on one of those arcs, I can find my way back home. I know it might take awhile, but that's better than just waiting out here and doing in this void."_ Vanellope thought.

Vanellope watched carefully as she studied the arcs of light. For what seemed like an eternity, she watched. Arcs from several of the sibling rivers remained just of her reach, until the closest river finally flung one back. The arc swung close to her and she reached her hand out. Grazing the outermost light of the arc, she was pulled in and found herself careening into darkness

* * *

 _"Location: Litwak's Arcade, The World Of Disney, August 15th 2112"_

"Ugh... ow." Vanellope whispered.

The girl shook her head and peeled herself off the floor. She breathed out, sweat beading on her brow, and looked around. She had been laying in a pile of old newspapers and a small amount of junk right outside the wired tunnel to what she recognized as Santa's Sled. She sighed in relief and looked around the small lobby she was in.

 _"That sure was intense, but at least I'm back. I wonder what has happened in my absence. How long have I been gone for?"_ Vanellope wondered.

The girl stood up and dusted herself off, before leaving the game portal and heading out into the main area of Game Central Station. It didn't look like it had changed for the most part, since she had last seen it. All the damage from the war against Avina and the attack on the world seemed to have been reversed and repaired. And it seemed like it was a day off for the arcade, so there were no games being played and everyone had free time. However, as she walked down the halls of Game Central Station, Vanellope noticed that no one seemed to notice her. No one gave seemed to give her any greeting. Before, at least one person would come over to say hello and talk to her. She and the other members of Sugar Rush also had a large amount of respect, but now no one seemed to want to interact with her. In fact, most of the characters out in GCS seemed to either be afraid of her or purposefully avoided her. Vanellope knew she had just returned after who knew how long, but she expected at least a welcome back, especially after having sealed Avina away and essentially saving them all. She realized something was wrong and immediately glitched her way over to Sugar Rush's game portal. It seemed to have been restored following Avina's defeat, with the shutter down and the tram car running.

* * *

It didn't take long for Vanelloe to arrive in Sugar Rush. Without her kart, she had to use the train to pass through the tunnel. It took her two minutes to do so, and when the train stopped, she hopped out and glitched down to the end of the rainbow bridge. From there, she looked around to see what had changed.

At first, nothing seemed to be wrong. Everything looked the same at first glance. However, as Vanelloe left the range of the rainbow bridge and started walking through the game, she noticed some things different than what she remembered. The cheerful background music, which always played throughout the mainland area of the game, was shut off, which had never happened before. Then, when she reached Sugar Rush, the candy citizens that were out just continued on their way. And like almost all those she saw out in the station, most of her subjects seemed to be afraid of her, or at least seemed to be avoiding her.

 _"What is going on? It's just like what happened in Game Central Station. Everyone seems to be afraid of me for some reason. It hasn't been like this since the days Turbo ruled here and I was a glitch."_ Vanellope wondered.

It was then that Vanellope noticed how the game was decorated. She noticed her banner dotted around the land, hanging from the fixtures and posts, just as they had after Turbo's defeat back in 2012, as well as after her and Ralph's journey to the Internet during the second film in 2018. However, instead of her face having her hazel eye color, her eyes were red. She also noticed that instead of her castle being white, it had been repainted mint green, the same color as her hoodie. Vanellope felt more and more lost in her game. Defeating Avina and sealing her away, followed by then returning to Sugar Rush after who knew how long to see it transformed before her eyes, really made her feel confused and like she was in a loop. Vanellope quickly rushed to the castle, where she found the Oreo guards guarding the gate.

"Hey, lemme in." Vanellope ordered.

"You need an appointment with our leader." one of the Oreo guards said.

Vanellope growled.

"But I AM the president!" Vanellope said.

The Oreo guards looked at each other before peering down at the girl. One on the right scratched his head.

"Um, didn't Master Vanellope switch over from being President to having the title "Master"? And how do you look and sound so much like her? Are you a clone character?" the Oreo guard asked.

Vanellope became confused.

"Master Vanellope? Clone character?" Vanellope asked.

She sighed and put a hand on her forehead.

"Look, guys, I just got back. I feel like I've just sealed Avina and only been gone for a few minutes, when I can clearly tell I've been gone for much longer. I've never changed my title to Master. I'm still Vanellope von Schweetz. I'm still me. I'm tired, I'm confused, I just want to know what's going on." Vanellope said.

"I see. You must be a clone character. If you're tired, we could have someone help you." one of the Oreo guards said.

Vanellope sighed, tired. She didn't know why her own guards thought she was just some alternate racer, but at least then she could get into her own home. One of the Oreo guards closer to the castle entrance hit the buzzer on the gate and spoke into the microphone.

"Hello, we have a guest for Master Vanellope." the Oreo guard announced.

There was silence on the other end, before a voice that Vanellope recognized as Sour Bill spoke.

 _"The Master is busy, but she can come in."_ Sour Bill announced.

The Oreo guards nodded to each other and opened the gates up.

* * *

Reviews (I know this is just the first chapter and reviews should wait until the second one, but I feel as it's important to reply back to a certain review now in order to clear up some things):

Aiymann Eedyot: I suppose it's sort of like Chapter 2 (or technically Chapter 1, due to the true story being started during it) of their story, but like I mentioned in the story description, it was inspired off of it. I mean no intention of plagiarizing the story, so I did my best to make it seem different from their own. Chapter 2 is when things will become much more different, as this story focuses on something entirely different from their own story, though Chapter 2 will wait until WiR 2 releases in three days. As for who Avina is, she is the main antagonist of my story Sugar Rush Continuing Adventures: Armageddon, which Vanellope's Return is a sequel to. I hope this answers all your questions, but feel free to let me know if you have anymore "concerns".


	2. Copy Vanellope

**Chapter 2: Copy Vanellope**

Vanellope walked past the Oreo guards and was soon led into the castle by a gumball candy helper. Her eyes went wide upon seeing how different the castle was. Apart from having been repainted mint green on both the exterior and interior, which was something she had apparently ordered despite her recent return, everything had been changed and shifted to fit "her" needs. She also noticed a surprising lack of candy servants and guards around. She didn't even see Wynnchel or Duncan around, though she knew Sour Bill was in the castle somewhere.

"Did this... "Master Vanellope" really choose this?" Vanellope asked.

The gumball helper nodded and smiled at her.

"Oh, yes! When Master Vanellope returned with the other racers, she redecorated everything not only to suit her tastes, but also to make things more efficient." the Gumball replied.

The Gumball then told Vanellope to let her know if she needed anything else before leaving the area. When she was gone, Vanellope started running and glitching through the hallways of the castle. She already knew the layout of the building well enough, but it still confused her on how things had changed. She located the throne room doors and entered through them. Upon doing so, she hid behind a couch as she looked over at the throne to see whoever "Master Vanellope" was. What she saw shocked her.

She was looking directly at herself. The other girl looked exactly like Vanellope, with even the same clothing as her, which Vanellope recognized as one of her own spare hoodies and skirts. She was a near-perfect clone of her, down to the soles of her boots. However, the difference between the two was that the other girl had red eyes, while Vanellope has hazel ones, just like on her banners. There also seemed to be some sort of metallic sword handle hung on the side of her skirt, but there was no blade extended from it. Vanellope studied the other girl from behind the couch as she sat poised in the Royal Racer. As she did, she thought over what she was going to say when she confronted her.

"I know you're there. Don't act like I can't see you." the other Vanellope said.

Vanellope looked up to see the girl looking directly at her, a frown on her face. Another thing that was different between the two was that her other self had a higher pitched voice, as if she had inhaled helium. Vanellope's eyebrows furrowed. With a glitch, the black haired girl appeared before her counterpart, who gave her an unimpressed look but remained where she was.

"Who are you? And why do you look just like me?" Vanellope asked.

"Just ask yourself something. What's the last thing you recall before coming here?" the other Vanellope asked, her expression remaining as emotionless as before.

Vanellope looked away, trying to think of how to answer her.

"Well... I had just helped the other racers and some of our friends in a battle, and I disappeared immediately afterwards. Next thing I knew, I ended up back here in the arcade." Vanellope replied.

The other Vanellope nodded.

"Allow me to introduce myself. You can refer to me as Copy Vanellope. I'm a perfect copy of yourself." the other Vanellope greeted.

"A copy? Of me?" Vanellope asked.

"Yes. I was created by Adorabeezle Winterpop following your disappearance. You've been gone for the duration of a year." Copy Vanellope replied.

Vanellope ran a hand through her hair.

"A year? I've been gone for too long!" Vanellope whispered.

She looked back up at Copy Vanellope.

"You said you're one of Adorabeezle's creations?" Vanellope asked.

'Indeed. Her greatest one, a fully functioning android. Mother created me to oversee everything in Sugar Rush in your absence, so Sugar Rush wouldn't fall into chaos. I'm a perfect version of you in every way." Copy Vanellope replied.

Vanellope felt a slight unease at how she spoke of herself, but brushed it away.

"Okay... and what about the racers? How is everyone? And what about Ralph?" Vanellope asked.

"They're perfectly alright. But you need not concern yourself over a inferior species such as them." Copy Vanellope replied.

Vanellope raised an eyebrow.

"Alright. Well, thanks for the information. I better check up on the others and see how they're doing." Vanellope said.

As she turned and began to walk away, Copy Vanellope suddenly spoke again.

"It was HER doing that you disappeared for the past year, wasn't it?" Copy Vanellope asked.

Vanellope turned around and faced the android again.

"Who?" Vanellope asked.

"Avina. You used your power to sacrifice yourself to ensure she got sealed away. Isn't that true?" Copy Vanellope asked.

"Uh... yes. How do you know that?" Vanellope asked hesitantly.

Copy Vanellope oddly began to smile slyly. She got out of the Royal Racer and approached Vanellope.

"Like I said before, I'm a perfect copy of you. That includes retaining your abilities and memories, which Mother implanted in me from your own code box. You also say you want to check up on everyone. Lucky for you, I can help you with that." Copy Vanellope replied.

After awhile, Vanellope finally spoke up.

"Actually, I'd rather find my own way around." Vanellope said.

"Oh? And how would you do that? You have no idea if anything has changed, or the extent as to the change. If you let me assist you and showed you around, all would be easy." Copy Vanellope asked in false surprise.

"I'd much rather take a shot at it myself than let a stranger who knows my life story help me out." Vanellope replied with a glare.

"Is that so? And what if you fail? Say you can't succeed and got lost after rejecting my offer to assist never see your friends and family again. The thought of the sadness on their faces from you not being there and no knowledge of your whereabouts, while you struggle in vain to try and return to them." Copy Vanellope asked.

"I..." Vanellope started to reply.

Copy Vanellope took the moment to continue on.

"And what of Rancis? Should he have to suffer the same fate because you selfishly declined the only opportunity you have of ever finding him? I'm only doing this for your own good. You want to let everyone know you're alright, correct? You'd probably do the same for me if you were in the opposite position, wouldn't you?" Copy Vanellope asked.

"Yes." Vanellope replied in an almost inaudible tone.

"I should mention that I am warning you of the dangers you might face if you were to not accept my offer. Unlike the Sugar Rush you know of, I'm sure, mine is something you have never experienced. I assure that once you step out the front door, you will wish you had let me help you. There are unspeakable things out there, Vanellope. Whoever you meet out there, you will not be sure if you can trust them or not." Copy Vanellope said.

The android girl stopped for a moment and saw Vanellope standing there, looking dazed. She smiled coolly.

"So, Vanellope, what will it be?" Copy Vanellope asked.

She extended a hand to her biological self. Vanellope lifted her head and began to reach her hand out as well. But then, she suddenly fired a blast of pixels that hit Copy Vanellope and slammed her into the wall. Part of the wall broke and crashed down on top of Copy Vanellope, pinning her down. The android pushed down on her arms and shoved the rubble off of her, before pulling herself into a kneeling position, growling lightly. Vanellope noticed that part of the right half of her face had chipped off in the crash, revealing part of a metal skull and a large red spherical bulb in place of where her eye had once been. Vanellope thought she looked rather eerie, but didn't say anything on it.

"I believe what you said, and you're right. I'm not sure who I can trust in this world... not even you." Vanellope said.

She ran out the door, leaving Copy Vanellope alone as she sat on the floor against the wall. The android glared angrily at the door.

"You just made a big miscalculation, Vanellope von Schweetz." Copy Vanellope growled.


	3. Escape From The Castle

**Chapter 3: Escape From The Castle**

Vanellope ran from the throne room, and she turned a corner and hid against the wall, breathing heavily.

"That bot is crazy! Why did Adorabeezle have to make that thing?" Vanellope asked.

The girl ran down the hall and tried to glitch through a wall. However, she just slammed into it and couldn't go through, much to her confusion. She then heard a beeping noise and saw a laser come out of the wall. She dodged it, quickly ran away from it, and hid behind a crack in the wall.

"I have to get out of here and find the rest of the gang. They'll know what to do." Vanellope whispered.

"Hey! You, halt!" a voice shouted.

Vanellope turned to see Wynchell and Duncan running down the halls of the castle. She breathed in relief.

"Oh, it's just you two. I wasn't expecting to see..." Vanellope started to say.

Wynchell shoved her into a door.

"Hey! What is the meaning of..." Vanellope started to ask.

She was smacked in the head and restrained.

"Thought you could go around masquerading as Master Vanellope, huh? You're in trouble now!" Duncan sneered.

Vanellope managed to tilt her head enough to look up at the donut and eclair.

"Guys, it's me! I'm Vanellope! Don't you recognize me?" Vanellope asked.

"Nice try. We got word that there was an imposter that tried harming our leader. And everything points to you." Wynchell replied.

"But that Vanellope isn't actually..." Vanellope started to say.

"Quiet, you!" Duncan barked.

Vanellope was hit in the head again. Wynchell took out a pair of cuffs and attempted to apply them to her arms, but the girl grit her teeth in anger and glitched out of their grasp. Before the two could react, she released a blast of pixels, knocking the two cops to the ground and stunning them.

"Sorry, guys." Vanellope said.

She glitched away further down the hallway. From behind a corner, Copy Vanellope, her face still smoking and crackling with energy slightly from part of her face chipping, watched her biological self flee and then turned with a scowl.

* * *

Soon after escaping Wynchell and Duncan, Vanellope managed to find her way out through a side entrance in the castle and sat behind a tree in the Candy Cane Forest. The girl sighed in disappointment.

"Now what do I do? Where do I find the other racers with her around? Are they even still here in the game or still around? My other self mentioned Adorabeezle having created her, but is she still alive?" Vanellope asked.

She reached into her pocket and pulled out her portal key, but when she pushed a button on it, nothing happened.

"Busted. Must have short circuited in the void. Guess I can't use this to contact anyone either. Great." Vanellope muttered.

She looked back at the castle, which was still visible through the tree line. She slumped.

"This is bad. If Sugar Rush is being ruled over by a psychotic genius, who knows what everyone else is like here now." Vanellope muttered.

She turned back around and looked deeper into the Candy Cane Forest.

"I have to find a way out of here. It's the only choice I've got. Besides, if this place is really as bad as it seems, I'm strong enough to take it." Vanellope said.

With that, she started making her way deeper into the forest.

* * *

A few minutes later, Vanellope left the Candy Cane Forest and found herself at the Junkyard.

"Maybe I can find some answers here." Vanellope muttered.

"Vanellope? Is that you?" a voice asked.

Vanellope turned to see Minty and Torvald running over to her.

"Minty, Torvald!" Vanellope said happily.

The two sisters reached the president. Torvald held Vanellope's hands.

"Vanellope, you made it back. Where have you been all this time?" Torvald asked.

"I only feel like I was gone for a few minutes or so. After we defeated Avina, I found myself in this strange void, outside of time and space. There were all these strange lights and such that led to different worlds. I found one that led back here and took it." Vanellope said.

She frowned and looked at both Mint sisters.

"How did you guys recognize me? Everyone else seemed to think I was Copy Vanellope. Even Wynchell and Duncan tried to capture me and thought I was some fake." Vanellope asked.

"Word spread through the game that an imposter of Vanellope appeared a short while ago. No one in the game apart from us and the rest of the racers know that Copy Vanellope isn't truly you. When we heard the rumors, the rest of us knew that you were back and the two of us came to find you." Minty replied.

"I gotcha. What exactly has happened while I've been gone? How are the other racers right now? And where is Adorabeezle? I need to talk to her about Copy Vanellope." Vanellope asked.

The two suddenly seemed to get uncomfortable.

"You wanted to speak to Adorabeezle? Oh, Vanellope, I-I don't know if that could happen." Torvald said.

Vanellope raised an eyebrow.

"Huh? What do you mean, Torvald? Where's Adorabeezle?" Vanellope asked.

Torvald shifted uncomfortable.

"Adorabeezle... she, um..." Torvald started to reply.

Before the Butter themed racer could finish speaking, the three heard the sound of an explosion. They looked up to see smoke rising beyond the Junkyard.

"Oh no! What's happening?" Torvald asked.

The three ran out of the Junkyard and approached the rising plume of smoke. When they neared it, they saw that it was coming from Candlehead's cafe. Vanellope noticed that it seemed to have closed down, which was strange considering that Candlehead always had a large amount business going on there, almost just as much as the Pit Shop made. Before the three could look further, they saw a figure crash through the glass window of the cafe and run away with something in their hands.

"We can't just stand here and watch it happen. Let's take care of this, girls." Vanellope said with a determined glare.

Minty nodded in agreement.

"Right." Minty said.

Vanellope hovered away with Minty flying beside her, while Torvald ran after them. The robber who broke into Candlehead's cafe wore a trench coat and hat that covered their face. They ran down the sidewalk with something hidden in their arms, until Vanellope suddenly floated down in their way, stopping them from going any further.

"You know, there's a reason why they call the food at the cafe "take-out food", but this may not be the case." Vanellope said with her arms crossed.

"You! What are you doing here, alone and outside of all things?" the robber asked in a shocked voice.

"Something wrong with a little fresh air and butt-kicking?" Vanellope asked, pounding her fist into her hands.

The robber scoffed.

"You obviously can't be her. You're far too childish." the robber replied.

"You know me?" Vanellope asked in surprise.

She glared at the figure.

"Who are you, anyway?" Vanellope asked.

Suddenly, Minty leaped up and wrapped her arms around the robber's torso, locking their arms to the side with her strength. Torvald then ran up and yanked off his hat.

"Gotcha!" Torvald shouted in triumph.

Once the robber's face was revealed, Vanellope was surprised to see that it was Taffyel. The brown haired boy was holding a box full of money.

"Taffyel?" Vanellope asked in shock.

"Wow, didn't see that one coming." Minty said.

"Out of my way! I have to get out of here before it's too late." Taffyel snapped.

"What are you talking about? Why are you doing something like this and stealing that, Taffyel?" Vanellope asked.

"I need this for my family." Taffyel replied in annoyance.

"For your family? Wait, you and Taffyta aren't successful anymore?" Vanellope asked in confusion.

"Certainly not. Ever since she got taken away, I've been desperate to get cash to free her. And if you are indeed Vanellope, where have you been? Because of you, I've resorted to thievery in order to rescue Taffyta. Now get out of my way before she finds me." Taffyel replied angrily.

"Too late!" a voice shouted.

Jubileena jumped down from a building. She then ran and kicked Taffyel down, causing him to drop the box of money.

"Still trying to bribe them out instead of letting us help you and doing things the honest way, huh?" Jubileena asked as she stood over her friend's husband.

Vanellope became confused.

 _"Them? Did Copy capture someone else if she captured Taffyta? If so, why is Taffyel so concerned about this other person as well?"_ Vanellope wondered.

Taffyel growled on the ground.

"Of course. You wouldn't understand how I'm feeling. You still have Swizzle and your sister. I don't need anyone's help to get them out." Taffyel replied.

Jubileena growled angrily and generated a cherry bomb in the palm of her hand.

"You have five seconds to leave before I turn you in." Jubileena growled.

Taffyel scrambled to get up and he ran away as fast as he could from the group. Vanellope, Minty, and Torvald stared in shock at what happened and they turned to Jubileena.

"Are you guys alright?" Jubileena asked.

"Jubileena?" Vanellope asked in shock.

Jubileena saw the black haired girl and gasped in shock.

"Vanellope!" Jubileena said happily.

She walked over and hugged the other girl.

"I can't believe you're back! We've all missed you since you disappeared." Jubileena said.

Vanellope blushed.

"I'm sorry, Jubi. Things just didn't turned out good enough. I've been gone for too long and that's affected everything negatively." Vanellope said.

Jubileena shook her head.

"Don't worry about it, Nelly. What matters is that you're back. Follow me back to my place and we'll talk some more." Jubileena replied.

The redhead picked up the box of money that Taffyel had stolen and ran ahead, while Vanellope stayed behind with Minty and Torvald. The girl turned to the two sisters.

"Did you guys know about Taffyel turning to stealing?" Vanellope asked.

Minty shook her head.

"No, Vanellope. We just found out when you did. After Taffyta got imprisoned in the Fungeon about six months ago, Taffyel changed. He became more bitter and resentful of all of us. He struck out on his own and that's the last any of us have ever really spoken to him." Minty replied.

"Okay, and what about when Taffyel replied back to Jubileena when she first spoke to him? Jubileena mentioned that he was trying to bribe "them" out of imprisonment, but I thought only Taffyta got taken away. Is there someone else really close to Taffyel that got imprisoned too?" Vanellope asked.

Minty and Torvald eyed each other briefly, before turning back to their leader.

"You must not have heard. Taffyta's pregnant." Torvald replied.

Vanellope eyed the girl in shock.

"Pregnant?" Vanellope asked.

Minty nodded.

"Remember when Jubileena got sent twenty years into the future and ran into her future kids there? Taffyta and Taffyel had a daughter there named Demetra. She's about six months pregnant with her now." Minty replied.

Vanellope nodded.

"That makes sense. Taffyel seems really desperate to get both of them back. I really feel sorry for him. " Vanellope said.

Just then, Jubileena called out to them.

"Come on, guys! What are you waiting for?" Jubileena asked.


	4. Jubileena's Explanation

**Chapter 4: Jubileena's Explanation**

Later on, after Jubileena returned the money that Taffyel had stolen and had secured Candlehead's cafe, she, Vanellope, Minty, and Torvald were walking towards her and Citrusella's house.

"We're almost there. Just follow me inside and we'll get everything all straightened out." Jubileena said.

Vanellope looked over at the redhead as they walked.

"So, what has exactly happened while I've been gone? How has everything gone so far downhill in the course of a year? I thought things would have been better after we beat Avina." Vanellope asked.

"I can see why you'd think that, but not many are happy with the way things are. Especially with 'her' around." Jubileena replied.

"Her? You don't mean Copy Vanellope, do you?" Vanellope asked.

Jubileena winced.

"Yes. She's a total nightmare to deal with. She exalts herself over everyone by claiming she's a "perfect copy" of yourself, and because of that, she's correct in everything she does. She also thinks that she is doing what is best for everyone, but is ignorant to our suffering. She's a total madman. Anyone who comes in contact with her and resists her might never be seen again... or worse. I'm sure you saw just how she is when you encountered her back at the castle." Jubileena replied.

Vanellope looked over at Minty and Torvald, who frowned at her. She turned back to look at Jubilena.

"Have you ever run into her yourself?" Vanellope asked.

Jubileena frowned and averted her eyes away from the other three females.

"A few times... to stop her from doing what she does best." Jubileena replied.

"Which is..." Vanellope started to ask.

"Experimentation. Whenever she doesn't "retire" a victim, she experiments with things she could use for her own gain and would take out anyone who stands in the way of that." Jubileena replied.

"By experiments... what kind do you mean?" Vanellope asked.

Jubileena sighed.

"That depends. Sometimes, it's been said that usually her experiments are to test devices of her's on her captives to see if they're successful. And who knows if they were successful or not, especially to the one she's testing it on." Jubileena replied.

"Who exactly has Copy Vanellope captured?" Vanellope asked.

Jubileena was silent for a bit.

"Well, most of our friends are alright. However, Taffyta was imprisoned in the Fungeon, like we discussed before. Candlehead was captured and sent to a facility somewhere in Sugar Rush, since Copy didn't want her "stupidity" to "interfere with the game". Copy took Nougetsia prisoner and placed her on house arrest in Adorabeezle's lab to produce fighters for her, since most of the candy servants don't want to help her..." Jubileena started to reply.

"Copy's making Nougetsia do all that hard work? What happened to Adorabeezle?" Vanellope asked.

Jubileena winced again and looked at Vanellope.

"You won't like it, but I'll tell you anyway. But let's just save that for when we get back to the house." Jubileena replied.

Vanellope didn't like the tone that Jubileena had, but didn't push it further at the moment.

* * *

Copy Vanellope had left the castle and was in Adorabeezle's lab. The lab was missing most of Adorabeezle's designs and inventions she had made throughout the years, leaving it mostly empty. Even the Winterpop Mech-Suit and Adorabeezle's notes on Fandom Heights were gone. However, it still had parts around to be used to make inventions with. Copy Vanellope was seated at a workstation that had a few beakers on it. Nougetsia stood in front of her. Even though she was nowhere near as intelligent as her older sister, the yogurt themed racer was being forced to use tools and spare parts that Adorabeezle had stored away to repair Copy Vanellope's chipped plates on her face. She was exhausted from having be kept up working late into the night working to make Copy Vanellope's bots.

"You let her escape and drove her away?" Nougetsia asked, stiffing a yawn as she started fastening one of the final layers of modified metal that went over Copy Vanellope's exposed spherical bulb.

"Vanellope broke through my persuasion, is all. But I know for certain that she will be back." Copy Vanellope replied.

"And what if she doesn't return to the castle? What if you can't get your hands on her?" Nougetsia asked.

"I need her out of the way in some form. She is just outdated scrap that has served it's purpose." Copy Vanellope replied.

The android girl gave a small smirk.

"Besides, Aunt Nougetsia, even if she doesn't come back on her own, I have my ways." Copy Vanellope said.


	5. The Resistance

**Chapter 5: The Resistance**

Jubileena led Vanellope, Minty, and Torvald up to her and Citrusella's house.

"Well, here's my and Citrusella's house. Right now, it's our base." Jubileena explained.

They went inside and entered the living room. Vanellope was surprised to see that they weren't the only ones inside the house. There was a large number of people, almost a community, all of them either chatting, training, or working on something. There wasn't just inhabitants of the game or the rest of the arcade present, but also those from the other Disney and Nickelodeon worlds as well. She also noticed that they all had the letters "RR" on their shirts.

"Welcome to the Resistance." Jubileena said.

Suddenly, Swizzle came over to them.

"Look, everyone! Jubileena is back!" Swizzle shouted.

Everyone turned to Jubileena and waved, but then stopped when they saw Vanellope. Before anyone could ask any questions, the black haired girl spoke.

"Now I know what you're all thinking. How could I be here after so long, and where was I? Well, after I defeated Avina, I ended up in a void outside of time. There was then some sort of time travel mishap and I ended up back here." Vanellope explained.

Everybody shrugged and went back to what they were doing. Jubileena went over to an area of the house, where Pheobe was. Vanellope was surprised to see her hanging around in Sugar Rush instead of being back in Hillwood.

"Hey, Pheobe. How's everything going?" Jubileena asked.

"Everything's fine, Jubileena." Pheobe replied.

She looked up and smiled at Vanellope.

"Welcome back, Vanellope." Pheobe said.

"Pheobe, where's Lisa?" Jubileena asked.

"She's in the lab." Pheobe replied.

"Okay, I need to see her for something. And those you can from the team that are here. Bring them here, but don't tell them that Vanellope is back." Jubileena ordered.

"Sure." Pheobe said.

She walked away.

"You know, Jubes, I've been wondering something. What do those letters on your shirt stand for? The double Rs?" Vanellope asked.

"Oh, that? It stands for "Rebel Racers". Since some of us are racers from this game, all of us thought we should call ourselves that, even if some of us aren't actually racers." Jubileena replied.

Vanellope exhaled.

"I still can't believe what has happened in my absence." Vanellope said.

"Yeah. Well, follow me. I need you to meet someone." Jubileena ordered.

Leaving Minty and Torvald alone, Jubileena led Vanellope to one of the upper rooms of the house.

"Hey, Lisa, there's someone I'd like to show you." Jubileena greeted.

"Not now, Jubileena. I'm trying to improve our weapons to help us in battle." Lisa said, not looking up from the project she was workin on.

"Well, what if I told you that this is giving you a chance to build something other than weapons for once?" Jubileena asked.

Lisa was silent for a few moments.

"I'm listening." Lisa replied.

She turned around from her project. She still wore her usual attire, but her sweater had the RR symbol on it like everyone else. She also wore gloves and had goggles around her forehead. She stared at Vanelloe in silence for a few moments before turning to Jubileena.

"Jubileena, is it possible that I am hallucinating, or is that really Vanellope von Schweetz standing next to you?" Lisa asked.

"It's really her, Lisa." Jubileena replied.

"Wait, you're helping the Rebel Racers?" Vanellope asked.

"Yep. Lisa's the smart one around here. She builds weapons that help those without powers in battle." Jubileena replied.

"So, how exactly are you here, Vanellope? Because it is highly illogical for any of this to be possible. You had disappeared from existence after Avina was defeated." Lisa asked.

"Remember how it was said she'd return? She finally got back after a year." Jubileena replied.

"So I've missed out on a lot." Vanellope added.

She frowned.

"Hey, wait a minute. So you're like the "scientist" for the Rebel Racers, right?" Vanellope asked.

Lisa nodded.

"That is correct." Lisa replied.

"Shouldn't Adorabeezle have that role? I did hear that something happened to her, but didn't exactly figure out the details. What happened?" Vanellope asked.

"You're asking about Adorabeezle Winterpop? She..." Lisa started to reply.

Just then, Pheobe entered the lab.

"Hey, Jubileena, the gang is gathered downstairs." Pheobe announced.

"Thanks, Pheobe. Come on, Vanellope. We need to tell the rest of the team you're back." Jubileena replied.

They left the lab and reached the bottom of the stairs back to the first floor.

"Guess who we found earlier today!" Jubileena called out.

Vanellope walked over to see the other Sugar Rush team members. Even P.I.X.A.L was there, and Minty and Torvald had also rejoined the group. However, not all of the team was present. Candlehead, Taffyta, Nougetsia, Rancis, Citrusella, and Toxika were missing. All of the present members also had the same RR symbol on their clothing.

"Vanellope, is that really you? It's good to see you again." Snowanna greeted.

"Thanks. You guys still look good." Vanellope said.

"I'm surprised we've been able to keep up our appearances after so long. Lots of things have changed." Crumbelina said.

"What kind of..." Vanellope started to ask.

Sticky suddenly hugged her

"I'm so happy to see you again, Vanellope! It's been about a year since the last time I saw you!" Sticky said.

"Copy's been hard on us. Ever since she was set up over Sugar Rush, things have been getting worse and worse by the day. She thinks that being hard on everyone is the way to rule, and thinks that everyone is weak. Everyone that doesn't pledge their allegiance to her is hunted down and imprisoned... or worse." Gloyd said.

"Minty and Torvald filled us in on what you were told about Taffyta, Nougetsia, and Torvald. Rancis isn't here because he clings to Copy out of grief, even though he knows she isn't you. And he continues to be loyal to her even when he knows we're fighting her. As for Sylvia and Citrus, they aren't here because they're out on a mission. We couldn't get them to take a break to see you." Crumbelina explained.

Vanellope nodded.

"I.. I see. This is a little bit too much. But what I do know is that we need all help we can get to stop Copy. We need to gather up the rest of the team. But I was

never told about what happened to Adorabeezle. Where is she?" Vanellope asked.

Snowanna glanced away.

"It... it isn't pretty, Vanellope." Snowanna eplied.

Vanellope sighed.

"Just tell me. What happened to her that was so bad?" Vanellope asked.

Jubileena sighed.

"Very well, Vanellope. You deserve to know. Follow me." Jubileena replied.


	6. Origins

**Chapter 6: Origins**

 _Awareness was the first thing that hit Copy Vanellope. The feeling of being alive. Or as far as being alive for her went. Her systems told her that she wasn't human. The awareness was followed by the sound of a child-like voice, but a status report that blared to life in her field of vision momentarily distracted her from responding to the sound. The report told her that she hadn't been completed yet, but somehow, she didn't seem to mind. If she was alive, that's all that mattered at the moment._

 _"Copy Vanellope?" the voice asked._

 _Copy Vanellope opened her eyes, her optics adjusting to the lighting in the room. She turned her head slightly to see Adorabeezle standing to her side, with Copy Vanellope herself laying in some sort of strange pod. Adorabeezle was wearing her usual racing gear, but also had a white lab coat over it. The girl smiled at her creation._

 _"Who are you?" Copy Vanellope asked, for the first time using her voice._

 _"I am Adorabeezle Winterpop. I created you, Copy." Adorabeezle replied._

 _A wave of understanding passed over Copy Vanellope, but it was soon followed by curiosity._

 _"Copy? You called me Copy Vanellope before... is that my name?" Copy Vanellope asked, unsure._

 _"That's right. You see, you are a new type of robot that can think for herself. An android." Adorabeezle replied._

 _"New type? You mean other robots can't?" Copy Vanellope asked._

 _"Well... yes and no. For most robots, they are restricted. You, however, are not and are free to be yourself. You are designed to think, act, and feel exactly like a human. You have free will." Adorabeezle replied._

 _"Oh." Copy Vanellope said simply._

 _For the next few hours, Copy Vanellope talked with Adorabeezle. The Peppermint themed racer explained the world that Copy Vanellope had been brought into, tolerating her near-constant questions as she worked on finishing her body. But soon, though, Copy Vanellope had to shut down, as Adorabeezle needed to work on more technical and electrical parts. If she kept Copy Vanellope awake during this, it would risk damaging her severely._

* * *

 _Copy Vanellope was reactivated several times after that. During those times, she learned more about the different worlds around, which only strengthened a burning desire to see them for herself. The next time her systems blared to life, the status reports told her that she was nearly complete. She opened her eyes and turned once more to see Adorabeezle. However, there was something off about the girl._

 _"What's the matter, Mother? You look tired." Copy Vanellope asked, concerned._

 _Adorabeezle smiled._

 _"You really are like living human beings, Copy." Adorabeezle replied._

 _She frowned and looked off to the side._

 _"That's why... I'm afraid that people aren't quite ready to accept you just yet." Adorabeezle said._

 _Copy Vanellope looked at her in shock._

 _"You are not yet mature. You've only just been made and haven't been tested out. People might view what you are as something to be feared greatly." Adorabeezle explained._

 _The world may not want her? That greatly saddened Copy Vanellope and she shut herself down so she could spend some time to think it over._

* * *

 _Later, when she reactivated, Copy Vanellope came to an agreement of sorts with the fact that people wouldn't accept her. She would give mankind no reason to fear her. She would be gentle and would not fight unless it was necessary._

* * *

 _It was a while before Copy Vanellope was completed, but eventually, Adorabeezle managed to finish her. Copy Vanellope awoke happily when she saw that she had been completed. But when she opened her eyes to see Adorabeezle, she instantly grew serious when she saw the racer's expression._

 _"I'm sorry, Copy, that I've had to create you for a purpose such as this." Adorabeezle said._

 _"Mother?" Copy Adorabeezle asked in confusion._

 _She didn't know what her mother meant, but it definitely seemed serious._

 _"I've given you the power to think, to worry, and to grow and evolve, but I'm sorry you have to do so. You shouldn't be forced into such a position so soon, but we have no choice. With Vanellope gone, it's up to you to guide everyone in her stead." Adorabeezle said._

 _Copy Vanellope looked at her right arm, which was currently morphed into an arm cannon._

 _"Mother, I'll use my power to help everyone! I'll fight for justice!" Copy Vanellope exclaimed._

 _Adorabeezle smiled at her creation._

 _"Oh, of course you will, Copy. I know you will. But I'm sorry you have to do so, anyway." Adorabeezle said._

 _She reached down to press a few buttons on the control panel of the pod. The pod slowly began sealing, and as it did, Adorabeezle went over to her computer and typed in a command. A chip containing all of Vanellope's memories, as well as all of her and the rest of the racers' abilities, which she put together from everyone's data she had personally retrieved from the Code Room, slid out of a slot. She grabbed it and walked back over to the pod, where she fed it into a slot installed into the side._

 _"They will need someone like you to guide them." Adorabeezle said._

 _"Mother..." Copy Vanellope started to say._

 _"When you awaken, Copy, you'll be ready. You must not fail us. You are the arcade's last true hope." Adorabeezle said._

 _Copy Vanellope stared into Adorabeezle's smiling face as her systems slowly shut down and her eyes closed, so the chip could do it's part._

* * *

Vanellope watched as the screen of Adorabeezle's archived security footage ended and went blank. There was a tense silence afterwards.

"So... she was supposed to be built... to replace me?" Vanellope asked, shocked over what she had seen.

"Just until you got back. Things honestly started off alright at first. She seemed like she was getting the hang of things with ruling Sugar Rush. Sure, she wasn't exactly the same as you, but no one really minded. But everything started to go wrong when Copy... changed. No one was safe from her wrath." Jubileena replied.

"And now, we're on our last legs. No one's been able to stop Copy Vanellope or even talked to her because she's so stubborn. Adorabeezle had to leave because of that. Things are looking really dark. Without you, or Rancis, or Nougetsia, or Taffyta, we've just about given up hope." Sticky said.

Suddenly, an alarm went off and the room started flashing red. Pheobe came running towards the group.

"Jubileena, Sugar Rush troops are coming! And their headed towards our base!" Pheobe shouted.

"Roger that, Pheobe!" Jubileena said.

She picked up a large megaphone and was about to speak into it, but paused and turned to Vanellope. She held out the megaphone to the black haired girl.

"Your call, Vanellope. You've always been the leader, so... you take over." Jubileena said.

"Me?" Vanellope asked in surprise.

She looked at the other racers, who all nodded at her. Smiling, Vanellope took the megaphone.

"Everyone to your stations! Get ready for battle! Copy Vanellope's troops are coming!" Vanellope ordered.

Everyone did as she said and started running in different directions to get somewhere.

"Jubileena, Crumbelina, Sticky, come with me. We need to get to Citrusella and Sylvia." Vanellope ordered.

"Yes, Vanellope." Crumbelina said.


	7. Finding Citrusella And Sylvia

**Chapter 7: Finding Citrusella And Sylvia**

"Citrusella? Come in, Citrus!" Jubileena ordered.

She, Vanellope, Sticky, and Crumbelina were standing in the living room of her house, while she held her portal key. They heard static on the other end.

"Citrus, you there?" Jubileena asked.

 _"I'm here, Jubi, but I'm a little busy at the moment."_ Citrusella replied, her voice strained for some reason.

"Citrusella, we need you and Sylvia back at the base. Sugar Rush is attacking!" Jubileena ordered.

 _"That's a coincidence. There's an attack going on here, too."_ Sylvia said, taking over the communication on the other end.

"What?" Jubileena asked surprised.

 _"I'm sorry. We can't help you, Jubes. We're the only ones here to fight back, so we can't leave. But if you can come over here to help us out, we'll be glad to go with you."_ Citrusella replied.

"Okay, Citrus, we'll meet you over there." Jubileena said.

She put the device away.

"C'mon guys, Citrus and Sylvia need our help." Jubileena said.

They started running up the stairs.

"Why are we going upstairs? Shouldn't we be going outside?" Vanellope asked as they reached the hallway.

"Well, you see, Vanellope, each of these rooms have teleporters that will take us to different places across the arcade." Crumbelina replied.

"Teleporters? Why not just use the portal keys?" Vanellope asked.

"It's more convenient than just ending up in random locations or going to destinations on foot." Sticky replied.

They went into Jubileena and Swizzle's room and found a metal platform. They stepped onto it, and a light started to shimmer around them before they disappeared.

* * *

Later, somewhere across the arcade, a light started to shimmer and Vanellope, Jubileena, Crumbelina, and Sticky appeared out of it. Vanellope stumbled around for a few moments.

"I-I don't ever wanna do that again." Vanellope said dizzily.

"Don't worry, Vanellope. You'll get used to it." Sticky said.

Vanellope got over her nausea and was surprised to see that they were on the Internet section of the world. However, she was even more shocked to see that it wasn't as lively as it had once been. It was quite a dealer darker than what she was used to. Sleazy-looking users who twitched and glitched around the place would occasionally walk by, along with some coded characters that did not look friendly in the slightest. She looked up, trying to make heads or tails of the place, but she and the other three were surrounded by brick buildings and random assortments of websites that had been shut down long ago.

"Is... is this the Internet?" Vanellope asked.

Crumbelina nodded.

"Sad, isn't it? Sugar Rush hasn't been the only place in this world that was affected by Copy Vanellope's takeover." Crumbelina replied.

Vanellope nodded, understanding completely.

"What about some of the characters here? JP, and Yess, and Shank and her crew?" Vanellope asked.

"They're alright. Hanging in there. Though, I don't think they know you're back yet." Jubileena replied.

Just then, the four gang then saw Citrusella and Sylvia approach them.

"Hey, sis! Glad you could make it." Citrusella said, running over to Jubileena.

Her jacket had the RR symbol on it, but she also had a belt with a few weapons on it. Meanwhile, Sylvia had the RR symbol on her top as well.

"Hey, Citrusella, you said you needed help?" Vanellope asked.

Citrusella nodded at the black haired girl.

"Yeah, Vanellope. Sugar Rush troops are attacking. And... it's good to see you again." Citrusella replied.

Vanellope smiled.

"Thanks, Citrusella." Vanellope said.

Just then, they could hear shouting in the distance. After a few seconds, they realized it was slowly getting louder.

"They're coming. Everyone, get ready to defend yourselves!" Vanellope ordered.

A group of fifty Sugar Rush soldiers appeared in front of them. They all looked like Candy Citizens, except they looked metallic. Vanellope, Jubileena, Crumbelina, Sticky, Citrusella, and Toxika charged forward and attacked them. Vanellope used her glitch and time-slowing abilities, Citrusella released dangerous bolts of electricity, Toxika released vines and toxic sludge, Sticky released marshmallow bombs, Crumbelina used her caramel abilities to harden the soldiers into cookie states, and Jubileena released her cherry bombs. A soldier approached Vanellope from behind, ready to ambush her, but the girl saw her coming, glitched behind the soldier, and shredded them apart with a blast of pixels just in time. Another soldier was about to do the same thing, but Sticky released a mess of marshmallow globs that got them stuck in place on the ground, before Jubileena blew them apart with a well-placed cherry bomb.

"Thanks, girls." Vanellope said.

"No problem, Nelly." Sticky said.

Once the soldiers were all defeated, the group came together.

"Alright, now that that's taken care of..." Vanellope started to say.

The sound of deafening blades suddenly swept the rest of Vaneellope's voice. The black haired girl was startled, and she and the others looked up to see a chopper approach from above, before slowing into a stop and hovering above. A door burst open from it's side and a figure hopped off gracefully, their landing summoning a blanket of dust from the metal floor below them, momentarily fogging them until they stepped out of it to face Vanellope and the others. Jubileena gasped as she noticed who was approaching them.

"Vanellope, everyone, get back to base!" Jubileena ordered frantically.

Vanellope assumed a combat-ready position, alert.

"Why? Who is this?" Vanellope asked.

She looked back and was startled to see Taffyta standing in front of them.

"Wait, Taffy..." Vanellope started to ask.

She stopped herself when she noticed something off about Taffyta. For one, she was supposed to have been imprisoned in the castle back in Sugar Rush. No one had seen her since then, so it was impossible that'd she be there. Plus, she didn't have a bulged belly from carrying Demetra. And lastly, she didn't know what her friend was wearing. Over her usual racing jacket, skirt, and other clothing, all of which was modified to be more combat-esque, Taffyta wore sleek and formidable light pink light-weight armor, with the lower sleeves seemingly made out of white feathers while her upper arms were left bare, with powerful jet engines built into the back. Even her racing cap had gotten altered, now sporting some pieces of metal plating over the fabric. Vanellope's glaze stopped short at her stern blue eyes, filled with something unfathomable. Jubileena tugged on Vanellope's sleeve.

"Vanellope, we need you back at the base. More Sugar Rush troops are attacking. We need to go!" Jubileena said.

Vanellope didn't pry her eyes off of Taffyta.

"Jubileena... take the others base to base. I'll stay here and hold Taffyta back." Vanellope ordered.

"But, Vanellope..." Jubileena started to say.

"Just do it, alright? I can handle this!" Vanellope ordered, frustrated.

Jubileena was silent for a moment, but then nodded and turned back to the others.

"Alright, let's get going." Jubileena ordered.

She and the others left, leaving Vanellope alone with Taffyta. The raven haired girl noticed that Taffyta was someone so self-assured in her strength that she simply let them go without a fuss, an unspoken message that the Rebel Racers really had nothing against Copy Vanellope.

"You must be Vanellope. Allow me to introduce myself. My name is Taffyta, one of Sugar Rush's Four Guardians. Of course, you probably know me from that prisoner. I might seem like your friend, but I'm completely different from her. For one, I am an android. You may refer to me as "Copy Taffyta"." Taffyta greeted in faux-politeness.

Vanellope remained silent. She had to strike first and aim for Copy Taffyta's jets. She could tell that the android girl was fast. With the jet propulsion, the pink android was probably going to hop into the air and take advantage of the battlefield from there.

"Mother passed me some information about you after you ruthlessly damaged her." Copy Taffyta said.

Vanellope hesitated. Copy Taffyta continued with a voice as chilly as mountain wind.

"The Rebel Racers found you and now you're fighting for them? What are you, a duck? Imprinting on the first faction you see? Are you really the so-called Vanellope von Schweetz?" Copy Taffyta asked skeptically.

Mouth set to a tight line, Vanellope glared at the android.

"Whether I'm Vanellope or not doesn't matter. All I know is that your "mother" is oppressing people and you're contributing to it. I'm going to put an end to that." Vanellope replied.

"You just got back like... today, and now you're feeling responsible for people you barely know? You don't know half the story." Copy Taffyta scolded derisively.

"It doesn't take much coding to know what Copy Vanellope is doing is wrong!" Vanellope snapped.

"If she's wrong, then who's right? You? Jubileena Bing-Bing?" Copy Taffyta asked.

She lifted her chin, her entire form painting a patronizing picture.

"Exactly what is the real reason you're helping the rebels, hmm, Nelly?" Copy Taffyta asked.

Vanellope wanted to silence her, but this was the first time that anyone apart from Copy Vanellope she had faced was willing to talk. Maybe she could learn something apart from what the other racers told her.

"Anyone with a functioning brain can see that Copy Vanellope has gone insane and Sugar Rush is a joke." Vanellope replied, deliberately provoking.

She felt a tendril of accomplishment when Copy Taffyta's eye twitched.

"We want a world where everyone can live together peacefully. That's a cause worth fighting for." Vanellope said.

"A world where everyone can live together peacefully. Sounds familiar. In fact, it sounds like Paradise. Master Vanellope's Paradise." Copy Taffyta said slowly, drawing it out to the point that it bordered condescension.

She pointedly glared at Vanellope.

"You've been on the wrong side this entire time. Can you really call the denizens of the arcade a proper 'people' when it's so easy to, say... rewrite them? That they have so little a soul that all it takes is a malfunction, a virus, or a sentient program to change their original personalities, remove their memories, and even transform them into mindless murderers?" Copy Taffyta asked.

Vanellope looked down in thought.

"Sugar Rush has gone off the deep end. It's a dictatorship where innocent people are oppressed. A single sign of opposition of a certain character from any location of the game or arcade causes the entire area to be..." Vanellope started to reply, echoing the words of her friends.

"Because they need to start over! Your "friends" are just misled children that don't know better. They and Master Vanellope share the same dream, but they're executing it incorrectly. The inhabitants of the arcade need to be constantly purged and upgraded until they become real people, or else it'll take another dolt like Turbo or the Nightmare King to kill the world again!" Copy Taffyta snarled, like a gavel slamming down, a final judgment.

She walked forward briskly but she was looking past Vanellope as if the girl was beneath her. Her jet engines barely brushed against the black girl's arm.

"Don't you see? Master Vanellope has seen it all, while you just... disappeared on us all." Copy Taffyta said.

The disapproval rang loud and clear.

"You're not responsible for the fate of all in Sugar Rush and perhaps even the rest of the arcade itself. Not anymore. She is. They're her mistake to fix. You want real peace? Then get out of our way. You're not necessary to Master Vanellope, or to her vision. The least you can do is not interfere while I take care of the real irregulars." Copy Taffyta said.

She suddenly stopped in her steps. It took a second for Vanellope to realize that the android girl had grabbed her wrist.

"I was going to let you go because, if you are indeed Vanellope, you are the real thing. Do you really want to go against us, even though we're the ones in the right?" Copy Taffyta asked, matter-of-factly.

"I am the real thing. And I know, from the things I've done in the past after starting the Sugar Rush hero team, I would have never wanted things to turn this way. I'd never believed in killing innocents in order to fulfill a vision. Sugar Rush now... it's a fake utopia built on death. That's not true peace. I'd never kill innocent people for evolution. That's what..." Vanellope started to reply.

Her eyes flashed.

"That's what the Nightmare King did!" Vanellope shouted.

She started glitching violently just as Copy Taffyta ripped herself away from the human girl's grasp to seize a large leap away, creating space between the two of them.

"The Nightmare King? I guess that answers my question. And yet, you choose to go up against us? Such foolish behavior for a beloved glitch, a hero, to side with the rebels!" Copy Taffyta whispered venomously, her arms drawn up to a T-shape over her chest.

She swung one down to reveal a bright magenta saber that oddly resembled Copy Vanellope's saber. Meanwhile, her other arm seemed to stretch out in the same way that Taffyta could stretch her body, and she formed a sharp point with it.

"Before the arcade can have a true reset, it seems I'll have to take care of the actual virus first!" Copy Taffyta hissed.

She lifted one sword and aimed it at Vanellope.

"I'd rather not waste time terminating ignorant, yet perfectly fine individuals, less alone someone like you. But perhaps, Master Vanellope will find it in her to forgive me. She doesn't need you. WE don't need you!" Copy Taffyta snarled.

Before Vanellope could speak further, the android was already flying in the air, ready to strike.


End file.
